At 10.15 a GOSHAWK seen from my large west facing window. Flapping westward then turning into the wind and going south quite low over Alexandra Park,, Hastings. An immature - probably a male although the size of a Common Buzzard.
Posted by Andrew Grace on www.sos.org.uk
A big flock of Wigeon has been present for several days, grazing out on the pasture. They were west of the Pools this morning, when I counted 500. Gadwall are feeding close to the road again. Many hundreds of Lapwings are scattered across the marsh, rising periodically in alarm as raptors pass - this morning a Peregrine and 2 Marsh Harriers. A single Raven was in attendance and out on the sea a few GC Grebe silhouettes bobbed among the Farrow & Ball waves; I counted 70 the other day when it was calmer.
Highlights over the past few days have included 2 Bittern and Kingfisher from the viewpoint, Green Sandpiper at Ternery Pool, 220 Curlew and Black-tailed Godwit on Harbour Farm pools. Mediterranean Gull, 35 Dunlin, 26 Grey Plover and 6 Knot along the shore, Merlin along Shore Ridges, Black and Red-throated Diver offshore, 17 Shelduck and 5 Brent Geese on Flat Beach.
A combination of bad weather and vehicles in for repair meant that I have spent most of today in the office sorting through insect specimens accumulated during 2009. One of the most striking was the picture-winged fly Campiglossa plantaginis (below). The larvae of this species feed in the heads of Sea Aster (Aster tripolium), a common plant on the saltmarsh at Rye Harbour, and there have been several records of this fly on the reserve over the years.
Campiglossa plantaginis
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Crossbills are still present in the pines of Holman Wood (for detailed map from the Woodland Trust click here), along with some Siskins, but it’s hard to work out how many because the branches get in the way even when the birds are flying. Otherwise, the pines were occupied by Chaffinches, Goldcrests, GS Woodpeckers and numerous Great Tits.
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Still good numbers of wildfowl at Castle Water, with several hundred Wigeon and several tens of Shoveler, Teal and Gadwall, with the highlight a single Scaup showing well form the hide. Also present, a Marsh Harrier was quartering the reedbeds (probably one of this years youngsters, though there are adults around too), around 30 Golden Plover and several hundred Lapwing were feeding on the short grassland, and small numbers of Fieldfare were feeding on trees near Castle Farm.
Scaup at Castle Water
Today is the shortest day, so I thought I would get out for sunrise at 07:57, but it was not spectacular (see below). Sunset was at 15:52 and overcast. That’s a day of just 7 hours and 55 minutes.
Yesterday morning the “Sunday Walkers” were sitting in the hide at Castle Water (enjoying our customary tea and biscuits/cake) when we spotted a couple of Carrion Crows feeding on something. Closer examination revealed it was a rabbit, on which a stoat was also feeding. Presumably the stoat had killed the rabbit. A female Marsh Harrier then landed nearby and seemed to take no notice for several minutes. She then decided it was her turn and chased off the stoat and Crows, which kept trying to get back in on the action, only to be chased off again by the Harrier. Stunning views of the male Smew as well helped make it a memorable visit to Castle Water.
Michael Prince by e-mail
A black-necked grebe was on Denge Marsh all week and single bitterns were seen regularly, both there and at the ARC site. A cattle egret was seen at New Diggings on 17th and the glossy ibises remained near Boulderwall Farm until 14th. Up to 17 Bewick’s swans roosted on the ARC pit on most nights. Four white-fronted geese were on Denge Marsh on 20th and goldeneye and smew were present in small numbers. A woodcock was seen near the Willow trail late in the week and a Dartford warbler was near the Hooker’s pits viewpoint. A penduline tit was seen from the Hanson-ARC hide on 17th and two were seen in the Hooker’s pits reedbed.
Highlights today at Castle Water included a male Smew at the northern end of the pit, two Jack Snipe and seven Ruff on Castle Farm, three Bearded Tit in the Barn Field and a Marsh Harrier from the hide. In addition, freezing of the Bittern Excavation pushed large numbers of wildlfowl on to the main pit, with 400+ each of Wigeon and Teal, 200 Gadwall and 160 Shoveler present here, as well as Snipe, Redshank and Lapwing.
Redshank